Hunter x Hunter Creator Shares Horrible Back Pain Experience

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Summary

  • Yoshihiro Togashi’s chronic pain causes frequent Hunter x Hunter hiatuses, often due to worsening health conditions.
  • Togashi recently had surgery, was bedridden, and has posture restrictions, slowing down his work progress.
  • Despite his ongoing pain, some fans make insensitive jokes, but Togashi continues to work on the manga.

As an observer who has followed the journey of Yoshihiro Togashi and his iconic work, Hunter x Hunter, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of admiration and respect for the man. Despite the constant struggles with chronic pain that have forced him to take frequent hiatuses, he continues to push through and create some of the most captivating stories in manga history.

As a die-hard fan of “Hunter x Hunter,” I’ve come to understand that its creator, Yoshihiro Togashi, battles with severe chronic pain on a daily basis. This condition often leaves him struggling not just with writing manga, but even with simple tasks like walking. It’s this health challenge that typically results in extended breaks between the release of new “Hunter x Hunter” chapters.

Back in 1998, when “Hunter x Hunter” first began its serialization, it faithfully stuck to the weekly rhythm that’s typical of most “Weekly Shonen Jump” releases. But as we ventured into the 2010s, the series found itself taking extended breaks due to Togashi’s deteriorating health. Now, my fellow fans, “Hunter x Hunter” has an unpredictable release schedule, and it seems like that will remain the norm until the very end of this epic journey.

Togashi recently disclosed that he underwent surgery using local anesthesia. However, he didn’t provide the reason for the surgery. Now, it appears that he’s been confined to bed for a brief period and has certain posture limitations. Additionally, he shared some images of his latest work.

Here’s a post from December 11, 2024:

もう1話分ネーム完成。

訳あって数日寝たきりでした。

今はヨチヨチですが家の中を

歩けるくらい回復して自力で

仕事用スマホ回収出来ました。

人に頼むの苦手なんですよねー

— 冨樫義博 (@Un4v5s8bgsVk9Xp) December 11, 2024

Translation:

I drew one more chapter.

For some reason, I spent a few days bedridden.

When I was finally able to walk again,

I could take some photos of my work

I’m focused on writing new chapters.

In a more recent post, he added he’s anxious to sit on chairs:

ネーム、もう1話分完成。

姿勢に制限ありすぎて

進みが悪い。まだ椅子に

座るの不安なのであと少し

ネームに集中します。

— 冨樫義博 (@Un4v5s8bgsVk9Xp) December 12, 2024

Translation:

I drew one more chapter.

I have posture restrictions, so

It’s hard to keep going forward. I’m still a bit anxious

To sit on a chair

So I’ll keep focusing on chapters.

Translations try to preserve the writing style, including the original line breaks. But sudden line breaks might look stranger in English than they are to Japanese people.

Recently, he mentioned that his health was gradually getting better and he could now sit in a chair again, but it appears his health status may have taken a slight turn for the worse more recently.

Togashi’s Chronic Back Pain

Togashi has been open about dealing with persistent back pain for some time now. In fact, he once discussed this issue on the authors’ comment section of Shonen Jump, admitting that at times, the pain is so severe it prevents him from even calling for assistance as he can hardly move. Furthermore, he mentioned that he can no longer write chapters while seated in a chair due to the discomfort, instead opting for a more comfortable position. This year, additional events have also led him to reduce his social media activity and likely affected his regular schedule.

Regrettably, despite the author’s repeated efforts to convey his constant struggle with health issues, some folks just don’t seem to grasp the severity of his condition. Jokes about Togashi choosing video games like Dragon Quest over manga creation continue to surface, which is far from the truth. In fact, he has even penned an alternate ending for Hunter x Hunter in case he can’t complete it himself.

Hunter x Hunter New Hiatus

This year saw the release of fresh Hunter x Hunter installments, but unfortunately, the series has been paused again. Just as before, it ran for a brief period before coming to a halt. At the moment, we’re unsure when the manga will resume, but since Togashi appears to be working on it, there’s hope that new chapters might emerge next year. Typically, Shueisha announces a new volume in advance when the series is set to return, so fans should stay tuned for updates regarding the 39th volume.

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2024-12-14 18:07